Pieces
by Isolith
Summary: Moments in a relationship, beginning, middle and some things between.
1. Chapter 1

**PIECES**

Summary: Moments in a relationship, beginning, middle and some things between.

A/N: Small things I wrote because Lontanissima demanded things to read as we waited for the 8th episode this Monday. If there are mistakes, it's because I wrote it under the influence of New Zealand white wine and 90's music wonders.

 **/Travel/**

The beach was calm in the dark night; moonlight lightened the way as they walked along the shore back to their bungalow. It was a remote beach and their bungalow was likewise situated away from the rest of the island's housing. The sand was still warm between her toes and it seeped into her; the warmth from weeks of sunshine from a cloudless sky. Her stomach was pleasantly full and her heart too; the warmth of his hand in hers was still a novel comfort. She sneaked a look up at him, his face lightened by the moon, and met his eyes; they had the dark color of deep desires.

She stopped him, and with a small tug on his hand, pulled him close to her. She stood up on her toes and then drew him into a full kiss; happy that they were alone and she could wholly show him how he lit her on fire. He happily stepped closer to her, his hand letting go of her hand and instead he let both hands rest on her hips, giving a meaningful caress up and down the sides of her stomach.

He guided her backwards and she smiled against his mouth when she felt water envelop her ankles, her feet sinking deeper into the wet sand. The water was warm and she breathed out an excited sigh as she let go of the kiss and instead pulled him with her into the water. He followed with a surprised yelp.

They kissed again when they were waist-deep in the water; small waves gently rocked their bodies as they became swept away in kissing. She felt his hands roam down with more intent, and before long he pulled up the sarong she had swept around her middle, exposing her bikini pants.

"Purple suits you," he mumbled, "but what do you say, we get rid of them, huh?"

She giggled into his shoulder. Her merriment quickly turned to a small moan when he pushed her pants down and swept his fingers to her inner thighs, gliding back and forth with caresses that upon every turn, came closer and closer to her center. She leaned up and slipped her arms around his neck, her mouth on his, as he put pressure on her clit, his mouth soft against hers.

She came bathed in moonlight and warm seawater, stars glittering above when she arched her head back and let out a moan. She came in his arms, with a kiss of promise and of love.

 **/Picnic/**

It was a rarity to enjoy the velvety cushion of grass beneath her feet, even if the long straws of the garden were in dire need of a cutting. The grass brushed by her feet and it felt like walking on a soft carpet. The color was invitingly green; vivid and round, and so full and soft she purposely rested her legs outside the designated picnic blanket. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes. The shadow from the sun umbrella fell short just under her face as she lay down, the sun felt warm and vitalizing on her skin.

"You're going to get burned, Captain," Lieutenant Flynn commented to her left.

She hummed in response, keeping her eyes closed.

"It's Sharon when off-duty," she said.

It was her day off and she relished lying out in the sun; the warmth and tranquility enjoyable. It was something she had looked forward to for weeks now. They were all off-duty and she felt little like a police captain now, and more like herself, Sharon. Staying inside, working case after case, and only being able to gaze at summer, got a bit dull in the long run.

"You want the salmon sandwich or the mozzarella pesto?" Flynn asked.

She opened her eyes, her gaze going to her lieutenant giving her a wide smile, waiting. The day was perfect for an impromptu picnic. Originally, it had been meant for the whole team; a way to relax and get to know each other better without murder and gore intervening. At the last minute everyone had been too busy, and so it was just her and Lieutenant Flynn… Andy, she corrected herself with a smile.

"I would take the mozzarella one if I were you," he said with a lifted eyebrow, "Buffalo mozzarella, so fresh it will melt in your mouth."

She shook her head slightly, both amused and curious, "Is that so?"

His voice was certain, "Oh yeah."

"Well, mozzarella it is," she smiled politely, took the offered sandwich and unwrapped it from the foil. It was rye bread with seeds, fresh vegetables and tzatziki and pesto as dressing. The first taste was heaven like and she hummed in appreciation, her eyes closing once again as she savored the bite.

"Good, huh?" her lieutenant asked and there was a strange note in his voice she couldn't quite place.

She opened her eyes and nodded, still chewing.

He chuckled.

She smiled.

Maybe a picnic alone with him wasn't so bad after all. As it turned out, he surprised her in more ways than one.

"You've got a little," he pointed at his own face, at the corner of his mouth.

She quickly reached up to wipe away the little dressing at her mouth.

When she looked up again, there was another thing she couldn't quite place about him; something in his gaze that made her want to both smile and to look away shyly.

Instead she took another bite of the sandwich and wiggled her toes into the high grass, her eyes once again appreciating the color.

 **/Wake-up/**

"Your phone is ringing," his voice woke her up; the tone was strained with sleep, low and like gravel. His hand came to rest on her hip with the thumb caressing in a circle and the skin of his palm warm to touch. Any other morning and she would gladly turn to face him, the feeling of waking up next to him and looking at him was delightfully novel. But seeing he had kept her up all night till four in the morning, she did not feel like waking up at all.

She hummed and turned onto her other side away from him, pushing her head into her pillow as she tried to drown out reality.

"C'mon," his voice beckoned her, his mouth near her ear and his breath tickling.

She mumbled back a reply that was more a grunt than words.

"Sharon," he said more firmly, "c'mon. It's Taylor. If you don't answer, then I will."

That woke her up. She quickly sat up in bed and narrowed her eyes at him.

She took her phone from his hand and then huffed annoyed before she answered in a more polite tone.

"Yes chief?" she answered, glaring as she watched Andy lying down and closing his eyes.

She listened to the chief go on and on about a new case, and as always keeping it less than simple. She catalogued the important details; body count, the method of death and the location. She left out the less than important facts; something about a politician and a media spin that would no doubt generate a headline meant to evoke attention from the general public.

After the call ended, she turned and put her hand on Andy's chest.

"We're being called in," she said.

She waited for him to open his eyes, but he only sighed. "I know."

She waited a short second and when he didn't move, she leaned down and rested her lips just above his mouth. She waited less than a heartbeat before he opened his eyes and then pulled her to him, his mouth locked on hers.

She smiled into the kiss.

She couldn't fully blame him for keeping her up.

 **/In the field/**

His blood was opaque.

Her eyes fastened onto his face, his features were distorted in pain. His nose looked crooked and blood gushed freely; a steady stream that lessened somewhat when he shielded his nose with the palms of his hands.

She rarely felt like yelling and it seldom happened, but suddenly she felt, no, she needed to howl at him.

She walked a little faster and reached his side that much quicker.

When he saw her, his eyes lightened up and he shifted his hands away from his nose, the palms stained red. The grin that split across his face, lopsided and charming on any other day, sunk into the pit of her stomach and clenched into a tight angry knot.

Anger ate her up; hot-white and blazing in its intensity. The full volume of it surprised her and it stopped her short in her stride.

His eyes turned questioning and he shrugged when she narrowed her eyes and neared him again. She stopped in front of him, her arms crossed and waiting for an explanation as to why he had neglected protocol and gone after their suspect without any back-up.

"Hey," he said simply, the wide smile still trying to calm her. His eyes were mischievous yet held a warm greeting as well. The blood staining his mouth and chin apparently not much of an annoyance to him.

She couldn't form a coherent sentence, the words stuck somewhere in her throat.

The panic that had run through her as she had listened to the feed from the surveillance van was still running through her veins, not unlike a stolen breath.

"Sharon?" he ventured, the glint in his eyes turning to concern.

With she did not answer but continued to glare at him, trying to get her breathing under control his eyebrows drew tighter together.

She had run here the fastest she could and not given one minute caring that she looked less than professional doing so.

"Captain?" Andy tried instead, his voice becoming softer.

She breathed in through her nose, trying to expel both anger and fear, the noise loud. She was acutely aware of how she must look to him; hair way out of place, red faced, angry and scared eyes, and heavy, almost uncontrolled, breathing.

"I'm alright," Andy told her, his look understanding all of a sudden, "it's just a broken nose."

She let out a heavy breath, feeling completely drained of energy.

She took his outstretched hand and intertwined her fingers with his; the blood on his palm was still warm. It did not matter, the look in his eyes kept her focus.

He was fine.

 **/Irrational/**

It was an old forgotten emotion that suddenly rippled through her, uninvited and dense, when her eyes landed on Andy and the woman he spoke with. The woman stood with her back to Sharon, the sleek blue dress and the blonde hair was annoyingly well fashioned. Her eyes zeroed in on the hand the woman laid on Andy's arm, rings reflecting the light from a lantern as she tightened her hand around his upper arm and tilted her head in a manner that was not to mistake.

The whole scene took her breath away. She did not mind Andy talking with others, or even lightly flirting if that was what he fancied. She felt secure in their relationship. But there was something about the form the two of them presented out on the balcony, two lone figures in the night, that pushed away any rational thoughts she had.

She made her way to the balcony hurryingly with the drinks in her hands; sparkling water and slices of orange and lime. She tried to school her features and swallowed the bad taste in her mouth. There was no need to make a scene, or to let them onto the unbidden realization that she felt a snip of possessiveness. Jealousy was, at its core, an ugly feeling and even if she felt anxious she could rationalize it; it was simply her past making an appearance.

"Hi," she said, her tone neutral as she stepped onto the balcony and offered Andy his glass.

Andy turned around to greet her with a warm smile and a hand to her hip.

She turned her head slightly and turned a kiss meant for her mouth to an awkward kiss to her cheek instead.

She pretended not to see the wondering look he gave her, and instead she shared pleasantries with the other woman who turned out to be an old friend of Andy's ex-wife. A fact that did not lessen the ugly bout of jealousy she felt.

She quickly stomped on the feeling and kept her smile polite enough to hopefully fool the woman. Andy on the other hand was another matter, his eyes burrowed into hers, darkening suddenly. She knew he had figured it out when his lips slipped into an amused and satisfied smile.

The other woman, Clarice or something, bid her goodbyes eventually, and Sharon watched with resignation as the smile on Andy's lips turned more and more smug.

"And you complain about me being jealous and possessive," he growled in her ear, his hands around her middle when he brought her closer, his scent powerful when she let herself fall into the embrace.

He chuckled good-naturedly.

She looked up and found a smile of her own sneaking forth.

Andy leaned in, his mouth an inch from hers and his eyes expressing amusement, and dark desires.

"You do know you're the only woman I want, in any way, right?" he stated seriously and when she nodded, he leaned further in and kissed her deeply.

She hummed against his lips.

…


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: More little things. Hope you enjoy._

 **/Touch/**

When she closed her eyes, it was first a wave of excitement that rushed through her, and then a wave of anticipation followed close behind. It was all a mix of feelings and she felt very nervous, so it was fortunate that she could hide her face into the mattress so he wouldn't see and ask her if she was okay, she did not trust her own voice right now. It was dark outside and the only light that shone in the room was a little candlelight, casting the room in a soft warm glow.

She felt the bed dip and excitement curled into a humming ball in her stomach, almost enough to topple her. It did not dwindle in the slightest when she felt his thighs, warm and solid, resting against the sides of her stomach as he settled on the top of her back. She drew in a deep breath and tried to prepare herself for his touch. She heard him rubbing his hands slowly, and after a bit felt a slight tip in the weight as he leaned slightly forward. Next came his hands; fingers and palms on her neck, and helped along by oil his fingers glided slick against her skin. The touch was warm as he kneaded his way down her back, skirting just past her shoulder blades. It was gentle at first and grew increasingly more forceful as his hands moved down her back and up again, lingering at the end of her spine a second or two the first time. The next time he went further down and stopped just at the waistband of her underwear, his two thumbs kneading her lower back.

She let out a slow breath and then took a deep inhalation, she felt an almost dizzying need to turn around and capture his mouth in a heated kiss. But she stayed on her stomach with her eyes closed in pleasure. The scent of his linen filled her nostrils with comfort, and the feel of his hands massaging her back felt wondrous.

It was a romantic setting; the scent of massage oil mixed with the scented candle gave the room an extra layer of romance in the half darkened bedroom. They were at that point in their relationship where it tethered just on the brink of completion, the point where they knew each other; she knew the taste of his lips and how his mouth fit against hers, she knew that a heavy grunt, deep in his throat, meant he was aroused and that his kisses would begin to deepen. And he knew her, all her little signs and tells, and when she needed comfort.

She enjoyed stripping down to her underwear for him; excitement prompted her to be more forward in this regard. He made her feel young again, feeling carefree in a fashion she had not thought possible, her skin tingled at the prospect of his touch. Her body was aching from working overtime throughout the whole week, so when he offered a massage after a heated session of making out on his sofa, she quickly accepted.

His massaging hands brought her out of her thoughts as his thumbs and fingers strayed just under the waistband of her underwear now. The pads of his fingers were warm with friction as he slowed down and turned the kneading into a caress. The weight of him lifted suddenly, she felt him settle further down her body.

With a smile, she managed to unclasp her bra and slip out of it, letting it fall to the floor before she lay down again, aware that he had stopped his touches. She held her breath, listening. She could almost feel the way he looked at her, his eyes on her back and the complete naked skin there; raw admiration and desire. It excited her.

"It's more comfortable without," she said matter-of-factly, her head turned to the side. She felt him lean over her, the heat of his skin hot against her naked back.

"You're beautiful," he whispered in her ear, his breath tickling while his words warmed.

She hummed and closed her eyes again as he continued with his massage. This time his fingers went up the sides of her stomach and the tips of fingers teasing just at the edge of her breasts.

 **/Intimate/**

She pressed her lips together and swallowed a breath, her eyes zeroed in on his naked form. It had been quite a while since she had last gazed on the naked form of a man in full display. That it was happening now, and not in her daydreams, and that it was Andy Flynn no less, heightened her desire and heated her cheeks.

She knew the design of his bare arms up to the rounding of his shoulders, the way his deltoids flexed and moved, and how the muscles of his arms felt when they wrapped around her in a bear hug; solid and warm in his embrace. She even knew how the muscles felt beneath her fingers and how, when she touched him, his eyes darkened. She had become familiar with his legs from just above his knees and down after that one time they had gone to the beach and he had worn denim shorts, barefoot in the sand next to her.

From the kisses they had shared, she knew the feel of his neck and nape, and the way his hair felt between her fingers. From hours of working together, the long form of his figure had etched itself into her memories and she could easily bring forth the way his tailored suit looked on his body. From the one night they had shared, sleeping peacefully next to each other too tired to share anything but warmth and a few kisses, she fondly remembered waking to his chin against her neck, and his lips on her cheek kissing her good morning. The slight stubble had tickled her and she had touched his jaw with a slow caress. From that morning, she also became familiar with the sight of him aroused; his member a bulging outline in his boxers. He had worn a washed out t-shirt to bed, but her eyes had been able to briefly take in his crotch.

But before now, she had not seen him completely naked.

She let her eyes wander down his body; from the grey tussled hair, to the amused smirk and dark lustful eyes, to the bare chest and hair, down his stomach and hips, and finally to the junction of his thighs; his cock erect and full.

From there, it took no incentive. She let her hands rest on his chest and stood up on tiptoe, locking her lips with his, and when they were both fully captivated by each other's mouths, she let her hands wander down his body and grasp him. She smiled when he moaned.

She now knew the feel of him in her hands.

 **/Covet/**

Andy followed Sharon's quick stride, keeping up with her as she strode resolutely down the orange hallway. They were on their way back from the basement's store room that held old case files not yet plotted into any police database. Inevitably his eyes strayed, not by conscious choice, but from a fascination he was finding harder and harder to withstand. His line of sight was impelled to wander in a downturned route, fastening on her whole form as she walked. Today it was the sleek white material of her skirt and the tantalizing slit in the back that drew his gaze. It gifted him with a good look at not only her firm backside, but the bare skin of the back of her thighs near her knees.

In the beginning he had not meant to look at her like that, but then it started happening from time to time as his imagination ran wild, and now it was almost a given. He was drawn to her beauty, but not blind to the fact that in this world, in this environment, it was disrespectful and inappropriate to look. In any other circumstance of life, he could have admired her body more openly, and maybe flirted a bit as well. But instead, he tried the best he could to minimize his gawking, and when he found his eyes locked on her, in an admiring way, he tried his best to disguise it.

He was acutely aware of her, of every wondrous facet of her. It was not only the way the skin around her eyes crinkled when she smiled, or the way she pursed her lips in amusement and looked away to hide her reactions, or the way her scent intoxicated him, it was so much more. He noticed that and everything else like the swell of her breasts against the silk material of her blouse, the outline of two firm mounds, and the cleavage when she unbuttoned a couple of buttons during the course of a working day.

Then as they started becoming friends, it was the narrowness of her waist when she was in a dress, the view of her tongue when it was out wetting her lips whenever she thought no one was looking, and the way she, exclusively, smiled at him. He catalogued it all. The arch of her neck, the color of her eyes, the scent of her shampoo, the warmth of her fingers, the familiar sight of her from behind, and the vibration of a hum slipping past her throat.

He knew he was completely lost in her.

 **/Pleasure/**

He felt his member stirring the moment his mouth descended onto her center; his tongue licking a path down her folds and up again before he closed in on her small bud. The heavy sense of her arousal surrounded him completely, her scent so close it ensnared his senses fully and made him rock hard. He had missed this, missed making a woman orgasm under the careful dance of his tongue. Her breathy, almost silent, hums sparked a desire deep in his stomach, and when she hesitantly rested her hand on his temple, the fingers stretching out and caressing before they took a tight hold of his hair, it only reinforced his desire.

"Andy," she breathed quietly after an interval of breathless silence, his name uttered like a caress in a silvery light tone.

He looked up from between her thighs. His hands rested on her lower abdomen and he felt wrapped in her warmth with the junction of her thighs hot against his face, her thighs warm on both sides of his head and his hands anchored to her skin.

Her head was arched back, her mouth parted and eyes closed. She looked to be in another world, a far-away world consisting only of pleasure.

"Please don't stop," she pleaded, raising her head to look at him, her mouth parted and a raw look deep in her eyes that he had never seen before. She looked beautiful; free of everything but naked wonder and a red sheen to her cheeks, her chest heaving.

Prior to today, they had talked little about love and sex. He understood her privacy, and mostly, that the past was in the past. Yet, he couldn't stop a nagging feeling from taking place in the back of his mind; beneath her strength and certainty, there was a small part of her that he knew had been treated unfairly in the past when it came to love. He felt a deep need to make love to her; to show her how much he loved her and how much he wanted her to be happy.

"I won't," he said with a smile, "I'm just appreciating the view."

She smiled and he was enamored in the broad and carefree way her lips parted, her teeth visible and her eyes a shade lighter.

When she closed her eyes and laid her head back with the smile still prominent, he leaned back down again as well. He covered her clitoris with a kiss before his tongue slid out and continued its dance. It was the first time he went down on her, and truth be told, he wanted nothing else in this moment.

The scent and taste of her was more than intoxicating.


	3. Chapter 3

**/Balance/**

It did not feel like he saw her, even though they worked together every day. There was a difference in their personas; professionally and personally, and she had put rules in place for the work space so it didn't seem she favored him in any way. Rules he agreed with and gladly obliged on normal working days. However in these crazy weeks where he barely saw her outside the office, it was hard to differentiate between the lines. The times he saw her, it was as his Captain foremost, as she delegated work and designed strategies for catching the spree killer running rampant throughout the city, and as such, he had a hard time upholding their rules.

The current case was a jawbreaker, and he felt thin from exhaustion, which only strengthened an underlying need to take her into his arms and breathe in her scent. It was now ten days since they had last shared a moment for themselves, not that he was counting. But he felt he was running low on batteries, he was more irritable, dragged his feet and was altogether unhappy. So, when he accidentally met her in the break room, alone and sipping from a coffee cup, he forgot all about professionalism. She looked bleary-eyed from exhaustion, her figure small as she leaned against the kitchen counter and her eyes far away. She seemed lost in contemplation.

"Hey," he greeted her, his voice strained from too little sleep in the last week.

She lifted her head and when her eyes settled on him, they brightened a bit, but her smile stayed waned. He got a sinking feeling in his stomach and without any further thoughts; he approached her, kissed her temple and drew her into an embrace. When she, without objecting, slunk along into his arms, he knew she was beyond tired.

"I miss you," he whispered into her hair, the familiar scent of it instantly lulling him into a state of blissful drowsiness. He missed going to bed with her and waking up next to her in the morning. He missed heated kisses; he missed absent, chaste kisses. He missed her presence and voice more than he missed sex.

She hummed and then tried with a small tinge of humor to cheer him, and herself, up, "you see me every day, Andy."

"It's not the same," he countered and pulled her closer to his chest. Her arms went fully around him, squeezing him firmly in return.

"I miss you so much," he said again.

He could feel the smile in her voice now, "miss you too."

It was not much; a two minute embrace between breaks, but it was enough to settle his heart for the moment. He reluctantly let go of her, letting her fall back into routine.

She sipped the rest of her coffee while he poured coffee into his own mug, and it could have seemed like the old days, only her eyes lingered on him longer, and beneath the veil of tiredness, behind the glasses, he saw the warmth that shone for him. And when her lips turned a fraction upwards, sending him an honest, heartfelt smile, he felt a warm glow spread in his stomach and he could only smile back.

On their way out of the break room, he sneaked a caress to the small of her back; it grounded him, and he knew, even if they were professional at work, they would manage to balance it out.

 **/Fuck/**

When the front door into his apartment closed behind them, he pressed her body into the wall and firmly placed his hands on both sides of her head and brought his mouth to hers. As much as he loved taking his time to show her love and pleasure, there was a definite pull in him tonight that urged him to touch her as much as possible and feel her as fast as he could. He captured the moans she let escape, deepening the kiss.

Tonight a primal need in him built like an unstoppable force, a pressure, a desire almost too much to handle. He craved her; wanted to devour her, whole and without thought; to mark her as his; to fuck her senseless.

The barrel from a loaded Glock had been pressed into her cheek today, threatening both her life and his, and even if the situation had lasted only a moment or two, he could still taste the panic that had risen in him. Getting stabbed would have hurt less than the panic did as it grasped his heart. The dirty cop from Hollywood Division had only held his gun against her cheek for a second before she deflected it. Her movements had been so easy and smooth, well-practiced for just such an occasion. The gun had fallen to the floor in the struggle and her fist had quickly followed, the cracking sound of a nose breaking loud as her first connected with the creep's face. The dangerous situation was over by then and Julio was quick to put the guy in a headlock.

The moron's nosebleed was a blessing; it took Andy's mind away from the terror he had felt, and allowed him to arch an eyebrow at Sharon and make a humorous remark, smiling at the mess. The creep deserved more than a simple nosebleed, probably a good thing it was out of their hands now; I.A. and the DA's office would be handling the case now.

Then, as night settled over the city, and in the comfort of their own space, his bearing changed. He felt it first in the car, and it intensified as they drove further and further away from headquarters. He needed to lose the terror and the only way that was possible, was to feel her alive and well. He needed to feel her in the most intimate way he could imagine; breathing into his mouth and coming around his cock.

He pushed his knee between her thighs and moved his hands from her head to push up her skirt, their lips still locked. He needed to fuck her, here in the hallway and in the dark. He felt consumed by her warmth, by her lips, and by the feel of her body beneath his palms. It was a rush of raw desire, of deep insatiable lust.

He skipped any kind of foreplay and turned her around, she had pulled her underwear halfway down her thighs already, and she braced her hands braced against the wall. She leaned forward and bared her ass to him, her glance over her shoulder told him she matched his desire, and he quickly slipped into her warmth, parting her cheeks with his hands.

She was wet and warm, and it rushed through him, leaving him with no coherent sense.

He fucked her, or maybe she fucked him. It did not really matter.

The only thing that did matter was that they were alone, together, and alive, and he loved her so much it was almost painful.

 **/Babysitting/**

After half an hour of complete silence, curiosity prompted her to go from the living room to Andy's guest room. She peeked through the half-ajar door, and took care not to make a noise.

She smiled at the sight that greeted her, and felt her heart warming and expanding with deep, unconditional love. On the double poster bed made of a dark wooden frame and light linen, Andy lay with his two grandchildren, all three fast asleep.

Andy sent the two boys to sleep after dinner and a bath, and from the half open fairytale book by his slack hand, she reasoned he had read a goodnight story as well. The two boys; freckled and full of energy, were a joy to babysit even if Sharon could feel a dull ache in her bones and a tiredness that clouded her mind from spending the whole weekend with them. Today they had been to the beach and yesterday it had been the zoo. She stepped into the guest room, careful not to make too much noise. Taking the blanket from the end of the bed, she draped it over the two sleeping children. One of the boys was lying on his stomach, precariously close to the edge of the bed with one arm hanging loosely over the edge. With a gentle touch, she moved the boy without waking him, and tugged the blanket beneath him. She tiptoed to the other side of the bed, and smiled at the sight of the other boy curled up against Andy's side.

For a short second, she debated whether to wake Andy but they all looked so peaceful together, that in the end, she simply kissed her love tenderly on his temple and took out a second blanket from the chest, and tugged it around him.

With a last look at the boys and her man, she smiled and then quietly made her way out of the room, closing the door behind her. After cleaning the dishes and tidying up after dinner, she took a long warm shower; the hot water was a blessing after a long active day. She found one of Andy's t-shirts; grey and washed out with holes in the side, and she lay down on the bed in his bedroom. Her eyes closed the moment she was horizontal, and before long, she was fast asleep as well, the comforting scent of Andy around her even if he was elsewhere.

 **/Emergency/**

She rushed into the emergency ward, well aware she looked distressed and rumpled; her hair was uncombed and messy from sleep and she had only thrown a light jacket over her pajamas. There was a small queue to the information desk, and she waited impatiently; her foot tapping and her arms crossed nervously. Her eyes danced from one hospital personnel in uniform to another, as they milled about, wondering if she could detect which room he was in.

"I'm here for Andrew Flynn. He was admitted here not too long ago," she croaked out to the receptionist at the desk when it was her turn. The older woman looked down at her computer, tapped in Andy's name and then after a short period, looked up with a gentle smile, "Mr. Flynn is in room thirty-two, ma'am. Just follow the blue line down the hallway, and then it's the first room on the left, right after visitors lounge."

She nodded and almost forgot to say thanks, before she strode down the ward, clamping down hard on the urge to run. As she neared the end of the hallway, she started slowing down as panic seized her. She stopped for a moment, getting her bearings back and going through what she had been told; all she knew was, that Andy had been admitted with shortness of breath, and an ambulance had taken him to the hospital about an hour ago. A nurse had called her, on behest of Andy, thirty minutes ago.

The door was open; she took a deep breath and then walked into the room.

It was a two-bed room and Andy was sitting up, a pillow behind his back in the first bed, clothed in a hospital gown and a nasal cannula suppling him with oxygen. Electrodes on his chest monitored his heart rhythm and on his finger he had a sensor device measuring his oxygen saturation. The next thing she noticed was his color; not too pale and not too red-faced, he looked good.

She put on a shaky smile when he looked up.

"Hey you," she said, her voice almost a whisper, tears suddenly threatening to break free. She came to stand beside the bed, her hand touching his shoulder tenderly and her thumb caressing as she leaned in and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Hey you," he greeted back after their kiss, his smile warm and his voice normal, "Sorry to wake you."

She could breathe again; he was able to smile and talk. She blew out a nervous breath and then sat heavily down on a chair next to his bed.

"What happened?" she asked.

"I woke up with heart palpitations and had trouble breathing, so I called a doctor from the emergency service, and he called an ambulance for me," Andy explained as he took her hand in his, his eyes warm and soothing. She entwined her fingers with his, feeling the connection calming her, "The doctor thinks it might be side effects from the new medication I'm on."

She swallowed relieved, "Oh?"

"Yeah, changed my high blood pressure medication last week. Apparently, I need to change it again now."

Tears broke free even though she knew he was fine and would stay fine.

"Sweetheart," he said in the softest voice when he noticed.

She let him pull her into a half embrace, his hand soothing on her back and head.

"I love you," she mumbled into his neck.

...


	4. Chapter 4

**/6 am/**

Dawn was breaking across the horizon in a golden light, the inner city of Los Angeles a hazy visage in the distance. The air was brisk and this far away from the exhaust of traffic; it was fresh and tasted like nature rather than exhaust fumes. Watching the sunrise from a bench in the park, up on a high lookout top, was exquisite. The dew on the ground reflected the light and the sun soon cast a warm glow over everything, the city lights winking out as darkness receded. Having a friend to share it with made it that much better.

Not merely a friend, she corrected herself with an excited smile, and felt the trembling, buzzing feeling in her stomach still in a spiraling spin at the thought of what this night meant for the future. Turning her head just a tiny fraction, she could study Andy as he sat next to her. He was looking out across the city with a peaceful expression to his profile. His shoulder felt warm leaning against hers. She was poignantly aware of that small touch between them, the connection warmingher. Their bodies had touched before but she had not given it the same consideration as she did now. Now, she was acutely aware of any touch shared between them.

Dating was a concept that, to her, felt like a myriad of conflicting emotions, but when she looked at the man by her side, it felt less at odds. It was Andy, a very good friend foremost, and he was very dear to her heart, so when she realized that, dating felt just like the dawn breaking; golden and full of possibilities.

Andy turned his head and caught her looking. His eyes held a warm spark in and his mouth turned considerable upwards.

She smiled back and quickly looked out over the city again, her hands clasped together in her lap to keep them from showing her nervousness.

Late night coffee and dessert after Serve, turned into watching a new day begin; clouds turning from dark outlines to clear forms in the horizon, darkness replaced by a changing display of light and colors, and birds beginning to chirp in the park behind them.

"You cold?" Andy leaned in and asked, his voice low and warm against her cheek.

"I'm fine," she turned her head and realized they were just short of being almost face to face. The intimacy of his stare was exciting; his eyes up close seemed to pull her in like gravity and she could detect the flecks of gold in their brown color. The minute way his mouth moved into another smile made it seem, if she had to guess, that he was as nervous as her. The notion that they were both a little out of practice soothed her somewhat.

She smiled back at him, the motion easy and freeing.

"Alright then," he nodded, his eyes were still on her with their warm gaze.

She felt her breath catching in her throat when his eyes briefly lingered on her lips, pressure building in her chest akin to a fluttering ball of anticipation. The prospect of a kiss was something she had neglected to put too much thought into, and so far she had simply enjoyed their time together. She felt as excited as she felt nervous.

Instead of leaning closer, Andy cleared his throat and looked out over the city again.

Heart still somewhat erratic, she smiled to herself, wondering if maybe when he dropped her off he would kiss her. Or maybe she should kiss him when they said their goodbyes. But instead of a kiss happening at this moment, she moved closer to him, their thighs meeting and she felt him ease his arm up before it went around her, hugging her closer to his side.

She felt a yawn working its way out and she covered it with a hand. That they had stayed as long as they did was, without a doubt, because neither wanted the date to end.

 **/Crazy in love/**

It was like the first day of spring in her heart; new warmth on the horizon, a feeling of buzzing elation that knew no bounds, and a strange desire to melt in his embrace and his kisses in a continuous loop. She disliked using the adjective 'horny', but akin to springtime and the blossoming of flowers, she felt rejuvenated and ready to leap forth into this new relationship without hesitation.

They were both, at the core, early risers and active people, but waking up to the form of him lying beside her in the bed, she felt a strong incentive to stay there all day. She told him as much when she woke him up, her hand on his bare chest and her mouth close to his.

He mumbled something incoherent in between a gaping yawn.

She just leaned closer and kissed him good morning, her mouth turning to a smile midway through. She felt his lips quirk upwards in equal joy. Easing up for a fraction, she saw his eyes open and zero in on her with exclusive warmth. She quickly leaned back in and continued the kiss, this time reveling in his soft lips and the tingling that was slowly but surely setting her body on fire.

Before long bed sheets were tossed haphazardly away and they lay half naked tangled together. Her giggle was muffled by his mouth when he pushed her onto her back and then covered her body with his, their mouths still attached.

She loved kissing him and it was a thing she could get lost in easily.

When the kiss ended, their breaths perturbed, she smiled up at him.

"Let's stay in bed all weekend," he said with a cheeky smile, his weight mostly on his elbows as he regarded her.

She smiled and shook her head, "That's impossible, and you know it."

He mock pouted in return, his hair a rumpled mess and he had a mark on his cheek from his pillow.

"Andy," she started, arching her eyebrow as she more firmly wrapped her legs around his middle, her ankles crossed, "It was your idea to invite Nicole and the boys to the beach tomorrow, remember?"

He blew exasperated air out of his nose, the action not in fully accord with the smile on his lips that started growing wider and wider.

"I'll have to make it up to you then, huh?" he grinned, his eyes darkening in a fashion she had come to know as a sign of imminent mischief.

"Hmm?" she hummed, her hand on his neck caressing.

He rolled his eyes with humor, "If we're gonna be gone all day tomorrow, then I'll have to keep you in bed all day today… making it up to you, you know," his smile turned into a fully-fledged smirk.

She smiled, "I like that deal."

"I bet you do," he flirted back, "I'm gonna make good on my promise."

Her giggle was swallowed by his mouth as it descended and initiated a kiss that ignited a warm, tingling fire in her lower abdomen.

 **/Friends/**

"See, it's just -" Andy paused for a second as he fell back on a nervous smile, "I got the reservations months ago and well, if you're free to go, Nicole and the boys would love to see you again…"

Sharon interrupted him, "Oh, so it's a family dinner?"

"Right," he smiled as he leaned in across her desk, his elbows resting comfortably on the table, "Just Nicole and the boys though. Dean has to work." He arched an eyebrow and then added, "The boys adore you, you know? Nicole too."

Sharon gave him an excited smile in return and her cheeks looked a bit flushed, "So, how far out is this new restaurant?" now she was the one pausing, her head tilting a fraction to the side in what Andy figured was contemplation, "My car is actually scheduled for a routine check and I was supposed to deliver it to the garage tomorrow afternoon, but I guess I can have that postponed."

Andy quickly intervened, "I can just pick you up. It's no trouble."

She smiled wider, "That sounds wonderful, Andy."

"You sure? You don't mind? I mean, the restaurant is new, but so far it's got raving reviews and I think you'll like the entrees. And it's just next to the beach as well, great view."

Sharon crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair. She was regarding him with something he had a hard time pinning down. One corner of her mouth turned upwards suddenly and she shook her head at him in a mirthful fashion. He realized he had been rambling.

"I will accompany you," she said, then held up a finger when he opened his mouth to reply, "on one condition."

"You got it," Andy replied, relief flowing through him. Family meetings had been nothing but tranquil ever since Sharon had accompanied him to Nicole's wedding. He had never gotten so many invitations in such a short time span before.

"You haven't even heard my condition," she said with a secretive smile.

Andy shrugged, "Hey, I owe you enough as it is. Whatever you want, I'll deliver."

"You owe me big time, mister," she narrowed her eyes and gave him a humorous look.

"So, what do you want?" Andy drawled, trying to keep a straight face. He loved this back and forth they were developing in their friendship; it flowed fluidly and it was fun.

"You want a personal errand boy?" he paused to waggle his eyebrows, "or how about a witness sitter, hmm?"

Sharon shook her head, her lips twitching with amusement.

"My soul?" Andy ventured, going for mock-disbelief.

"Your soul will do just fine, lieutenant," she replied, face blank and nothing in her voice to suggest playfulness until she revealed a large, beaming smile. It was a thing he had begun to notice recently; she had a warm smile.

He returned it earnestly and threw up his hands, "where do I sign the contract?" he joked back.

"How about we grab a cup of coffee beforehand and take a walk down the promenade instead? It's been a while since I was last at the beach," Sharon suggested instead, her head tilted curiously.

"That's your condition?" Andy quirked an eyebrow, not really believing it.

She hummed and nodded.

"You got it," he smiled, "Heck that sounds like a win-win for me."

"Andy," she said, her smile sweet and her tone low, "We're friends," she paused and he nodded, "so of course I like spending time with you, and your family, as I know you do as well with me and mine."

"I sure do," he said with a smile. After a short moment of smiling at each other, he stood up, hands going for his pockets, "so, I'll pick you up at three?"

She nodded, her eyes held a lot of warmth as she looked at him, and instead of a wordy reply, he got an affirmative hum.

"See you then, Captain," Andy replied cheekily and gave her a salute as he exited her office.

...


End file.
